Stackable low depth bottle case

US5651461A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Rehrig Pacific Company · US

Inventors

• William P. Apps · Anaheim, US
• Gerald R. Koefelda · Hermosa Beach, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 1995
• Grant date: Jul 29, 1997
• Expiry date: Apr 13, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65D2501/24808
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A stackable case for retaining and transporting bottles including outer side walls forming an outer shell having a longitudinal axis and a horizontal axis, a case bottom disposed substantially within the outer shell, and a plurality of supports for supporting the outer surfaces of the bottles. The side walls include a lower wall portion and a plurality of spaced upwardly projecting pylons, where four corner pylons define the four corners of the case. A plurality of spaced upwardly projecting columns generally disposed within the outer shell define, in combination with the case bottom, the side walls and the end walls, a plurality of bottle retaining pockets. The columns and the pylons extend above the lower wall portions and below a top surface of the retained bottles. The end walls each include an integrally molded handle structure suspended between an upper portion of adjacent corner pylons to thereby define a generally open end wall area below the handle structure. The handle structure allows the bottle case to be manipulated with either a palm up or palm down orientation of the hand.